Warehouse for Rent: Everything You Need to Know About Renting a Warehouse in Belgium

Why rent a warehouse?

Renting storage space offers many advantages:

1. Tax and accounting benefits: rent is treated as operating expenses;
2. A scalable and flexible solution that allows you to meet your company’s occasional storage space needs. In the event of an increase or decrease in your activity, you can easily find a warehouse suited to your new needs;
3. No capital tied up: renting puts less pressure on your company’s cash flow compared to buying a warehouse. This solution is particularly suitable for companies with limited cash flow;
4. For a company that is just starting out or has limited resources, renting a warehouse in Belgium involves less risk-taking;

Different types of warehouses

Depending on your activity and the nature of the products or materials to be stored, you can choose from several types of warehouse:

• Cold storage warehouse;
• Office warehouse;
• Production warehouse;
• Distribution warehouse;
• Terminal warehouse…

Criteria for renting a warehouse

Renting a warehouse generates significant costs. It is therefore advisable to establish a list of your needs before starting your search. This list will help you refine your selection to choose premises that meet your needs while reducing your logistics costs. Here are some criteria to consider when choosing a warehouse for rent:

• The nature of the premises: open, semi-open or closed warehouse? Storage platform, workshop warehouse, local delivery center, activity premises, office warehouse for rent…;
• The surface area and volume of the warehouse: these must be adapted to the nature and quantity of products to be stored. Preferably, opt for premises whose surface area and volume are scalable;
• Location: favor a warehouse close to your company and easily accessible to facilitate the delivery and distribution of goods. This also allows you to reduce transport costs.
• The architecture of the warehouse: transit area, storage area, receiving area, shipping area, offices…;
• The type of storage: floor storage, suspended, on shelving, storage of hazardous materials, etc.;
• Infrastructure and equipment offered in the premises: ventilation, air conditioning system, sanitary facilities, storage equipment, handling equipment to facilitate the loading and unloading of goods (hand trucks, pallet trucks, forklifts, etc.);
• Security of the warehouse for rent: fire detector, remote surveillance system, anti-intrusion protection, etc.;
• Rent price and management fees: costs related to renting a logistics warehouse must not exceed the planned budget.

What type of lease to choose for renting a warehouse?

Depending on the intended use of the warehouse for rent, there are generally two types of lease contracts: the common law lease and the commercial lease.

The common law lease

If the warehouse is intended solely for the storage of goods or materials, then the landlord and tenant can enter into a common law lease agreement. The duration and conditions of the contract fall under contractual freedom between the two parties. If the rental period is more than 9 years, then you must go through a notary to sign the lease agreement. In this case, we speak of a notarized lease agreement.

The commercial lease

If the warehouse or part of the warehouse is allocated to a commercial or professional activity, then a commercial lease must be concluded. Generally, the duration of a commercial warehouse rental lease agreement cannot be less than 9 years. That said, under certain regulated conditions, the two parties can agree to a short-term commercial rental contract.

Good to know:

To find an affordable warehouse that meets your needs, you should use a business real estate agency specialized in warehouses. The Allten agency offers you professional support from the search for premises to the conclusion of the lease agreement. In addition, it has in-depth expertise in the industrial, commercial and logistics real estate market. It is well placed to find for you the best warehouse rental offers in Belgium according to your budget, your needs and your selection criteria.